


He Loves Me, He loves Me Not

by Charlie Rose (Night_Owl6)



Category: The Magicians (TV)
Genre: Eliot doesn't know how to deal with his emotions, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Rituals, Romance, so much symbolism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-28 17:36:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17791781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Night_Owl6/pseuds/Charlie%20Rose
Summary: Eliot was a wreck.  His stomach was tied up in knots causing him to lose his appetite.  He was plagued with dreams of a faceless man, that kept him up at all hours of the night.  His face kept flushing in the most unattractive way during random times. Worst of all, he was screwing up basic magic spells even first years knew how to do.  Eliot didn’t know what was causing this strange sickness, but he knew without a doubt it was all Quentin’s fault.





	He Loves Me, He loves Me Not

**Author's Note:**

> I intended to publish this in time for valentine's day but I got a little...distracted let's just say. haha hope you enjoy this piece. :)

Eliot was a wreck.  His stomach was tied up in knots causing him to lose his appetite.  He was plagued with dreams of a faceless man, that kept him up at all hours of the night.  His face kept flushing in the most unattractive way during random times. Worst of all, he was screwing up basic magic spells even first years knew how to do.  Eliot didn’t know what was causing this strange sickness, but he knew without a doubt it was all Quentin’s fault.

It all started when Quentin, literally stumbled into his life.  Eliot wouldn’t it call it stalking necessarily, he just liked knowing exactly who it was he had chosen to become his newest best friend.  The more Eliot learned about Quentin, the more interested he became.  It was perfectly normal to want to know every little detail of the younger magician’s life, thank you very much Margo. 

On a totally unrelated note,  Eliot’s symptoms were still persisting, and new ones had manifested. There was now a strange tightness in his chest that occurred whenever Quentin came close to him, making it hard to breathe.  Eliot was worried that he was allergic to some product Quentin used, and hoped the issues would go away.

They did not.

In fact, they kept getting worse and worse despite every diagnostic spell he casted on himself coming up negative.  Things were getting out of hand and it was time to go to the experts.

“You bitch, stop laughing and help me!” Eliot fumed.  He diligently explained each of his symptoms to Margo, worried for his life.  Rather than help him, the woman gave him a blank look before bursting into hysterics.

“Oh El.” Margo said sympathetically, holding her arms open to him from her spot on the couch. “Come here.”

Eliot obeyed and wrapped his arms around her small body, resting his cheek on her head.  “Bambi, what’s going on with me.”

“Eliot…I think you’re in love.”

“WHAT!?”  Eliot screamed.  There was absolutely no way he could be in love.  He wasn’t even sure he believed in love.

“Seriously? You didn’t notice?! Eliot there’s a betting pool around campus on when you two would get together.” The bet had originally started between Margo and Josh but escalated to include half the campus, professors included.

“With who?!”  Eliot tried picture this mysterious person he had supposedly fallen in love with.

Margo pursed her lips and shot him a look, raising one eyebrow. “You know who.”

“Quentin.” Eliot felt his face burn, and his heart began racing.  He thought back to every interaction with Quentin and he could no longer deny the feelings.  “How do I know if I’m really in love or if this just another flavor of the month?”

“Well how would you feel if he got expelled and you never got to see him again?”

Eliot’s heart clenched at the thought of never seeing Quentin again.  He had barely made it through Quentin’s short-lived relationship with Alice.  During those few months Eliot wanted Alice to disappear, but he couldn’t bring himself to ruin Quentin’s happiness.

Margo gripped Eliot’s hand in hers, squeezing once.  “If it helps, I think the feeling is mutual.”

“But you don’t know for sure.” Eliot bit his lip anxiously.  Quentin never gave any hints of liking him as more than friends.

“No, but what if I told you there was a way you could know for sure. Then would you finally stop moping and do him already?”

“Margo!” Eliot fidgeted in his seat crossing and uncrossing his legs.

Margo was tired of going back in forth in circles.  There was a chance for Eliot to get everything he’d ever wanted, and he was going to ruin it by being an idiot. “Just answer the question!”

“Yes.” Eliot looked out the window and sighed.  Now he could see flashes of a future with Quentin, he desperately wished could come true.                                                                                                                       

Satisfied, she got up and marched over to the bookshelves. Scanning the shelf, she pulled down a thin leather-bound book.  Flipping through the pages, she opened up the book to a ritual and held it between them. “Okay this is everything you need.”

Reading the ritual, Eliot’s eyes grew wider as he noticed the strange items needed. “Fresh duck bile, eye of newt, the heart of a newborn calf?! Margo what the hell??”

“Hahaha you should have seen your face.” Margo laughed, loving Eliot’s horrified expression. 

“If you’re not going to help me…”

“Geez, okay don’t get your panties in a twist. Here, this is the actual ritual.”  She flipped through the book once more, opening it up to the correct page.

_Love me, love me not_

_The silent question the world forgot_

_In the light of the rising sun_

_Taking a chance on love is easier said than done_

_What you need:_

_9 white roses_

_5 candles placed on the five points of a pentagram_

_7 precious stones symbolizing the love you want to find_

_A hair from the one you desire_

 

“Seriously? This ritual looks like it was made by a twelve-year-old.” Eliot sneered, pushing the book away in disgust.

“It works trust me. Unless you want to ask Quentin directly?” The corner of Margo’s mouth quirked up as she stared at her love-struck friend.

Eliot’s mouth snapped shut and he looked away, clearing his throat.  “Right, so know any good crystal shops?”

It took Eliot nearly a month to collect all the items.  He combed through several books on stone symbolisms, trying to gather the perfect combination that represented the love he wanted with Quentin.  More often then not, he drifted off into sappy daydreams that could rival a Disney movie.  

Finally, the time had come and all that was left to collect was a strand of Quentin’s hair.   However, getting that item was harder than it seemed.  Eliot tried to sneak some off his hairbrush, but Quentin was oddly fussy about cleaning his brushes.  

One day he walked into the cottage and saw Quentin reading in the kitchen.  He crept behind the distracted man and quickly yanked out a strand or two.

“Ow! What the hell was that for?” Quentin grasped onto the back of his head, rubbing the sore area.

“I’m…drug testing you.” Eliot sarcastically replied, pocketing the hairs.

Quentin’s face paled and he looked around the room nervously.  “I’m sorry! In my defense I had no idea the muffin Josh gave me was drugged. Though I should have guessed since it was Josh, but I thought I’d be safe since they were muffins and it was 8 o’clock in the morning!  But the point is, I definitely wouldn’t have stolen your underwear if I was sober.”

“What? I was joking. You stole my underwear?!”

“I put them right back! You didn’t know about that?” Quentin scratched the back of his head realizing his mistake.

“No but I forgive you. Bye Q.”  Laughing at the strange man he loved, Eliot kissed Quentin’s cheek and ran off. 

The next morning Eliot woke up at 4 a.m. and headed to the ritual room he booked to set everything up.  He specifically booked a room that faced east with plenty of windows to let in the morning light.  He carefully drew a pentagram on the floor with chalk before placing the candles on the five points.   Pulling the last few items out of his bag, he hung the seven stones he collected from the ceiling.  Each one attached individually to simple pieces of string. 

After weeks of research he decided on Rose Quartz, Prasiolite, Lapis Lazuli, Aventurine, Emerald, Amethyst, and Kunzite.  All symbolizing the type of relationship he longed for and hoped he could have someday with Quentin.  He scanned the multicolored stones making sure they were secure, before getting back to work.

He placed a vase holding the nine white roses in front of him and sat down in the middle of the pentagram directly under the stones.  Finally, the preparations were complete, there was nothing left to do other than wait patiently for the sunrise.

The moment the rays of light shone through the windows, Eliot knew it was time.  He took the strand of Quentin’s hair and carefully set it ablaze in the candle in front of him.  Heart beating fast, he chanted a short sentence in Italian.  “Lui mi ama. Lui non mi ama.”

A warm breeze swept around the room and the crystals above started swaying, throwing off multicolored specks of light. The petals of the roses were plucked from the stem by invisible hands and floated in circles around his body.  He closed his eyes and chanted harder, pouring all of the love he felt for Quentin into his words.

The ritual was designed to reveal how the person in question truly felt about the caster.  The petals would change color depending on how deeply their feelings ran.  If the feelings were merely that of friendship they would turn yellow, but true and unending love would be red.  

Taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes.  Eliot gasped at the sight of ruby red petals floating in the air around him.  Tears of joy welled up in his eyes as he realized his dreams were about to come true. “Q loves me!”

“I could have told you that.”  Quentin called softly from the doorway. Eliot jumped to his feet and gazed at Quentin in shock.

“How did you find me?” Eliot asked.  For once he couldn’t read Quentin’s expression.

“Margo told me you’d be here and needed to see me.”  Quentin took a step closer and plucked a rose petal out of the air feeling its silky texture between his fingers.

Quentin was enthralled by the sight of Eliot bathed in the morning light as the petals glided around, occasionally caressing their skin as they fluttered by.  He was pulled closer by some magnetic force that he could no longer ignore.  Eliot reached out and placed a hand on the back of Quentin’s neck, stepping closer to the younger man.  Quentin closed the gap between them, his hand gripping onto the material of Eliot’s shirt, while the other tangled into the smooth ebony curls.  Both their hearts beating fast.  

Eliot gradually leaned down, giving Quentin enough time to back away.  Instead of moving away, Quentin reached up and rubbed his thumb against Eliot’s bottom lip, gulping when a pink tongue swiped against his skin.  When their lips finally pressed together, Eliot felt heat coil through his body.  His worries melted away and nothing else mattered except for the incredible person in his arms.  Pulling apart, they pressed their foreheads together breathing deeply.

“You love me.” Eliot said in wonder.

Quentin nodded, a soft smile illuminating his face.  “Do you love me?”

“So much.” Eliot whispered.  They kissed once more, unhurried enjoying the feeling of their lips pressed together.  The petals drifted back onto the stems, reforming the beautiful flowers, now a bouquet of red roses. 

Quentin leaned down and picked them up carefully.  “Nine roses. Do you know what that symbolizes?”

“Eternal love. Do you think that’s possible for us?” Eliot asked hopefully.

“I have no doubt.” Quentin said holding out his hand. “Let’s go love.”

Together they cleaned up the rest of the ritual items, and left hand and hand across campus that was just starting to wake up.  In the end, it was Quentin with the help of Margo, who won the betting pool.  They split the money and he used his share to take Eliot on a date.  It was the first of a lifetime of dates to come.


End file.
